Stem Cells - Cures for Diabetes?

Diabetes is caused by either inadequate production or no production of insulin. This is related to either a decrease (Type 2), or total destruction (type 1) of Beta cells. These cells in the pancreas respond to high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood by releasing appropriate amounts of insulin.

Now a team from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have developed a technique to convert stem cells (which are now relatively easy to find) into working Beta cells. If these can be re-introduced into diabetic it may be a way to cure them.

The caveat, of course, especially in Type 1 diabetics is the initial cause of the loss of the beta cells. If it was an autoimmune process it is possible these new cells will also be destroyed. However we may be able to suppress this reaction.

We hope for a time that this treatment will really cure diabetes. Of course I wonder what the multi-billion dollar diabetic drug industry would do if this became close to being a reality!